The present invention generally relates to paper making equipment and processes, and relates in particular to the removal of contaminates from material and equipment during papermaking processes.
In the paper making process a paper sheet is conveyed through the paper machine by a multitude of belts known as wires in the forming section, felts in the pressing section and dryer fabrics in the dryer section. These serpentine conveying belts fill and/or coat with various contaminates supplied/carried by the paper sheet. Removal of contaminates is necessary to maintain peak efficiency of the paper manufacturing process. A series of showers are typically utilized to remove contaminates from the conveying belts. As herein used, the tem belts refers to all conveying fabrics regardless of paper machine position. The shower(s) are of various configurations and operating pressures, temperatures and flows. A primary application of most showers is to force contaminates through the belts (penetration) or skive contaminates off the surface of the belts (reversion). In each of these two cases, the shower is delivering a water stream that is forcing contaminates from the conveying belts. Such systems however, are not always sufficiently successful in effectively removing contaminates in certain applications.
There remains a need therefore, for systems and methods for more efficiently and effectively removing contaminates from belts during papermaking processes.